Intelsat to purchase 10 Telenor transponders

Intelsat and Telenor Satellite Broadcasting (TSBc) today jointly announced the completion of an agreement, for Intelsat to purchase 10 transponders on Telenor’s THOR 6 satellite, due to launch in Q2, 2009.

Under the contract, Intelsat will gain additional capacity to expand its growing DTH business within Central and Eastern Europe. For both Telenor and Intelsat, it paves the way to continuing combined efforts to further develop 1 W as a leading broadcasting position in this region.

“For Telenor Satellite Broadcasting and Intelsat, this contract signifies the joint ambition to make 1 W the choice platform for broadcasting services in Central and Eastern Europe,” said Cato Halsaa, CEO of Telenor Satellite Broadcasting. “We look forward to a fruitful and successful cooperation.”

David McGlade, CEO of Intelsat said, “Central and Eastern Europe is fast becoming a highly competitive market, placing ever-increasing demands for quality DTH capacity. This agreement represents a new phase in growing our long-standing relationship with Telenor Satellite Broadcasting and enables us to provide our customers with the capacity required to support their future expansion plans in this region.”

THOR 6 will be based on a Thales Alenia Space Spacebus 4000B2 platform, fitted with 36 Ku-band transponders. Twenty transponders will be positioned to serve the growing business demands in Central and Eastern Europe and the satellite will be launched on either an Ariane 5 or a Soyuz launcher from the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana.